2026 head-to-head · Midsize & Large SUV
2026 Land Rover Defender vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas, it costs about $2,821 a year to fuel (21 MPG), versus $2,962 for the 2026 Land Rover Defender (20 MPG). That's roughly $141 a year, or about $705 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Land Rover Defender
- Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid
Side by side
| Land Rover Defender | Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
| $2,962 | Your annual fuel cost | $2,821 |
| 20 MPG | Combined efficiency | 21 MPG |
| 18 MPG | City | 19 MPG |
| 22 MPG | Highway | 24 MPG |
| 452 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 428 g/mi |
| 4/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 4/10 |
| 4/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 4/10 |
| Gas | Powertrain | Hybrid |
| Premium gasoline | Fuel | Premium gasoline |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo |
| 8-speed automatic | Transmission | 9-speed automatic |
| 4WD | Drivetrain | AWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Land Rover Defender vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid across model years
- Land Rover Defender
- Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Among 91 2026 midsize & large SUVs, the Land Rover Defender ranks 71st and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid 69th for lowest fuel cost.
The powertrains differ: the Land Rover Defender is a conventional gas model, while the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid is a full hybrid.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2026 Land Rover Defender or the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid?
Measured by cost to drive, the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid. The Land Rover Defender is rated 20 MPG combined and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid 21 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2026 Land Rover Defender vs. the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas, about $2,962 for the Land Rover Defender and $2,821 for the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid.
Land Rover Defender vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Hybrid in other years
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